No extension to Brexit talks

Today Parliament will hear a statement on the Brexit talks. Like last week all my requests to ask oral questions or participate in Statements have failed in the ballots for slots because time is so limited,

What I wish to say and have said many times to Ministers is we must not delay our exit. Nor should we concede our fish, money or law making powers. The UK has rightly offered a Free Trade based Agreement and should stick with that offer.

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183 Comments

I am encouraged that Mssr. Barnier has been making his reports on progress, or lack, to the public in French; he’s therefore trying to prepare them for the bad news that we will not give away our fisheries, nor be bound by EU rules of any sort.

Bravo Mr, Frost, keep the steady course and clear eye. The nonsense of the EU is nearly behind us.

PS, The problem for Barnier is Mssr. Macron, who will have French fishermen on the streets of Paris, (along with all the other disgruntled population) demonstrating against him. Macron then has to tell his population that taxes will have to go up to pay for the EU because their contribution has to increase!

Indeed but I suspect they won’t do this. After all they have not even cancelled HS2 or net zero Carbon yet – so economically and scientifically deluded are they.

It seems to me that the rather few new cases in London (compared to some other regions) when all are locked down suggests there is now more immunity in this population (as far more have had it) than people think. What is the government ‘experts’ position on this?

JR, will your govt make it a red tape free country, minimum regs, minimum employment laws etc.? Or will it be obstructive like it has for ten years and pass blame to anyone it possibly can? Who increased minimum wage in March!

Today’s announcement on an unprecented recession. Accept the responsibility of the choice and decision made by the left wing Tory govt led by Johnson. Remember in March You wanted more debt! Now you have it in top of the other destructive decision to devastate the economy.

No, the economic challenge is NOT posed by the Chinese Virus but by your govt exercising a choice to devastate the economy. It was a rationale choice exercised by PM Johnson and chums. Just like Major decided to join ERM, it was not an inanimate ERM that cost thousands of homes to be repossessed, businesses to go bust or millions unemployed, but a choice by Major and chums.

Sunak today says the UK will have an unprecndented recession- no shit Sherlock- one that was planned, organised and implemented by the Tory govt. Totally unnecessary. Why allow 18 million people to travel freely into the country, some from Chinese virus hotspots then place the nation under house arrest! Led by science, no at all, science fiction.

Under 45 s could have continued to work and their children who form most of the infant and junior schools could have carried on as normal unless they had underlying health issues.

I don’t have confidence that Boris won’t capitulate. If he does, it will open the door for the reform party to wipe you out at the next election and every bye election of the future.
With trading volumes so low and the state of mainland Europe now is the ideal time to leave this tottering organisation.
We need to be fleet of foot, not treading through treacle with Brussels.

Absolutely correct. The EU are beginning to look like headless chickens. Make sure the component countries within the EU know in detail what the UK is offering and leave it to them to pressure the EU. It could work or fail but either way we leave agreement or not. I have no doubt that a practical fishing agreement can be reached with those nations that fish, but in the knowledge that they are doing so under license in British sovereign waters obeying our fishing laws.

Tabulazero, We don’t want to be part of the EU empire’s “single market”, we simply want to be able to trade with it as other countries from around the world already do. And don’t forget, it’s not just the UK selling into the EU, it is also the EU selling into the UK. That’s what a trade deal is – trade for trade. On the other hand I don’t want a trade deal with the EU – they can’t be trusted.

You are absolutely right Sir John, there is absolutely no need to change our position on any part of the negotiations, and we certainly don’t need or want any extension that would be so damaging to the recovery of our economy from the effects of Covid-19.

Please could Boris write to M Barnier to remind him that the clock is ticking and we cannot tolerate EU cherry picking in terms of access to the UK single market. We would be happy to meet EU officials in person – in London only, with suitable social distancing of course, and subject to an 8.30 am prompt start and all travel arrangements from Brussels made by M Barnier.

After yesterday’s proposal by France and Germany for a half trillion euro short term recovery fund, to be distributed by the EC, I doubt that many continental minds will have time to be focused on Brexit.

Good, I note Holland is dragging its feet.
It’s only a loan to be paid back by increased contributions. Let’s see the net recipient states start to squeal when they suddenly lose their subsidies.
The EU is a busted flush.

@Ian Wragg: The proposal writes about raising the EU’s “own resources” ceiling, which may also contain taxes levied at EU level, e.g. taxing large tech companies, a border tax on CO2 and a financial transaction tax, all proposed in the European Parliament. In the end there will be some compromise between the institutions, parties and members.

PvL, You’ve missed the point. The German Constitutional court can see as easily as I can that Merkel has simply by-passed their ruling. So the new fund complies with the letter of the law but not the spirit of their ruling. Rather typical of the EU, don’t you think?

Sure they will take the money offered, after all it is the Euro you can print as much of it as you like. Why do you need the UK’s printed money?

Lets start the betting on who is first out of the traps, after us!
I wonder what the odds are at the bookies.

Remember if the EU want an extension, they will have to abide by UK laws, abide by our tarriff schedule & Supreme court decisions and forfeit all UK contributions by any name. Also any duties imposed on 3rd party imports should be payable to the UK. And you get no votes in the House of parliament. Existing union member rights remain unaffected.

It should be obvious to everyone that the EU isn’t going to give up its demand that we stay under its jurisdiction and hand over our fish and our money. They have so many allies here, that they think they can carry on as normal. It is now nearly June, so there is unlikely to be an agreement on an FTA. We should therefore cut our losses and leave now. God knows, we need the money.

Margaret we would be paying a giant proportion of the ‘half trillion euros’ – we need the money ourselves! I’m sick of balling out German and French banks who lent too much to poor, destroyed Greece and Italy!

Andy, Not true. It is perfectly possible to have an RTA without a centralised dirigiste government in control of the “market”. It’s the norm. The EU is out of step with the rest of the world. That is why the EU has been known by eurosceptics as a “customs union” rather than a free market for decades.

You mean those countries that hadn’t had the benefit of belonging to the world’s largest, most prosperous EU trading bloc for over 4 decades and therefore acquired all the huge benefits that went with it?

We’re not asking for any benefits Andy. Just to be treated like a sovereign state.
I know you don’t understand the principle so maybe you could ask one of your kids that have been robbed of an EU education and job
Oh wait……….

You are being very silly.
The government got a huge majority of 80 seats with the headline of getting Brexit done after years of unnecessary delay.
Staying in could cost us many billions in extra membership fees and potentially cost huge extra sums for our share of any bail out costs in the EU.

Andy, We did contribute to the last Euro bailout. The UK was part of the EU bailout of Eire, and we contributed via the IMF to the general Euro bailout. If the Euro had not existed we would not have been liable for it. And as an EU member we have continuously bailed out the EU. Try again.

Are we out there with the big finger again.
There are a number of forecasts which contradict you predictions on what we will save, but looks at what we will loose leaving the EU contracy to your predictions

Andy, No, we haven’t. We have asked for a free trade deal similar to the ones offered to Canada, S.Korea, and Japan. It is to the EU’s financial advantage too, because they sell more to us than we sell to the EU.

The economic damage of remaining subject to EU rule has been clear for years. When the public inquiry is held to determine the damage to the UK for being a province of the EU empire, the facilitators will held to account and brought to justice.

Tabulazero, You’re assuming that there will be damage to a WTO deal. Which is unproven. I think we will be better off out of the clutches of the EU empire. And certainly better able to respond, if Johnson sets us free.

Andy! There is no money for a public inquiry! No money for the EU! No money for illegal aliens! There is no money for Green crap, the UN or fixing the Palace of Westminster. Your generation are going to know hunger! Get a grip.

It does look like Boris and David Frost are holding firm over our red lines. Clearly Barnier is losing patience but with the rigid mandate he has been given by his member states rather than the UK. He probably has a sneaking admiration for our Government for being prepared to stand firm while he probably had nothing but contempt for Teresa May and Robbins who gave in at every turn.

The situation in the EU is looking very interesting. We have Merkel on the way out, the Italian government weak and divided, ditto Spain and Eire and The Netherlands, Austria and Finland not wanting to play ball over the budget. Now Macron has lost his majority because 10 deputies have jumped ship. In Frankfurt Lagarde is proving ineffective at the ECB and in Brussels von der Leyen is clearly out of her depth ( hardly surprising after her performance as German Minister of Defence ).

Compare these with the British Government where Boris has a full five year mandate and a large majority. How things have turned around in both Europe and the UK from the disastrous period of the May administration.

I totally agree. Any capitulation and I’ll be cancelling my Conservative membership. I voted for Boris to be leader but only because I thought the alternative would be worse. So far I’ve been very disappointed with the decisions he’s made over HS2 and Huawei. With such a huge majority, he could implement the reforms this country so badly needs. He comes across as weak with no direction. I just wish he would bring MP’s like yourself into the cabinet to drive things forward, although maybe you are better placed on the outside looking in. I don’t agree with his immigration bill. Current immigration has suppressed the wages of our poorest workers, this new bill will do the same for our higher paid jobs. I’ve seen this with my own company bringing in IT staff from abroad on lower salaries then making the UK workers redundant. Now the cap has been lifted there’s nothing to stop them replacing all of us. I despair at the incompetence of our leaders.

The Right must plan now if we are to save the post-Covid world from the torment of socialism. If people are left to turn only to socialist ideas in the wake of this crisis, they provide tomorrow’s torment after today’s tragedies.

He does not seem to realise just how socialist we are all ready. The NHS, most of schooling and universities, much of housing, transport, energy …… plus we have this huge largely unproductive or even anti-productive state sector. We need to roll it back hugely. But after all the Tory socialists like Cameron, Osborn, May and Hammond and this new huge debt we need to roll socialist back massively.

It has suddenly for the under 50s and others why socialism needs “rolling back” Rolling back to see what under the political carpet?
Today ‘under the carpet’ there are restrictions on going out of your home, going to your job,going on a bus or on a train, spending your money in shop, talking to people, playing football, hide and seek, marbles, poker, blind man’s buff, rugby, put the tail on the donkey, and going down the pub. Getting married, christened.Burying your dead.

So how is the prospect of Socialism worse? Scared you will be put under house arrest to help you comrade?
The Government has done immense harm, unthinkable harm.

Well said. Accommodationist politics from the right encourages aggression from the left – and the left has entrenched its attitudes in a number of administrative structures making Conservative policy all but impossible. Brexit is – or was – an opportunity to unpick this mesh, which is why the left were so hysterical about it. I note their current silence with deep misgiving. Have they decided that our PM is really one of their own? And is he?

Sir John,
I really believe an extension will see the end of this Administration. The anxiety shown and voiced about this Government so far will only increase to ALARM in the electorate. It will be an unrecoverable position.

Well Sir John you have seemed to make it clear that you will hold my posts back for at least a day, hoping nobody will read the criticism (of Boris’ team, Government inaction and backside covering, and NHS/PHE.

So it would seem you and the Tories don’t want me to vote as I have before?
Preferring to ignore and delete truthful critical posts is a certain step to lose government – so be it.

A free trade agreement means accepting that there are things our Parliament may no longer do because they would harm free trade. So that immediately surrenders our lawmaking powers. That was what you objected to in the EU but it will be exactly same outside the EU the moment you do a free trade deal. Problem is, I don’t think you have ever understood what a free trade deal is.

Of course it’s not the same! A trade deal comes under trade law which is low ranking, certainly much lower than Constitutional law which the EU trade deal (and every other EU deal) compromised. We had to become EU citizens for Gods Sake, fly their flag! We will not be submitting to any such thing in any of the proposed trade deals now being negotiated.

Just watched a program on car scrap dealers in Cornwall on TV. They were just getting by melting down car engines to aluminium at £1000 per tonne. I looked online and the price has fallen to £500 per tonne because there is now less demand to make new cars. They might now go out of business.

Interesting how the leak of a tiny virus particle from a lab in China can possibly bankrupt a business in Cornwall a few months later.

Virus research needs to be regulated by something like the atomic energy agency.

It strikes me all the money, knowledge and power is on the side of the researchers and vaccine developers and not on the side of the Government.

For me and the greater of those I know we cant see the point as to why things have taken so long.

Even deep in EU rules it states if a country leaves it is on WTO terms – simples we have left and those are the terms.

The rest of it is just show boating by an egotistical political class. They have never done anything for those they pretend to represent. Give the people the democracy and control that for centuries has been promised and they will flourish.

It begs the question why do those that grab power get so frightened of the people they control. While at the same time they snuggle up and appease every despot this world has produced.

This digital parliament is a pretend parliament. And this has been introduced when our rights and liberties have been systematically violated; when policy is being determined by a select group of ministers and experts; when a police state is being developed; when there is no organised opposition in the country.

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Gerry Adams’ detention in the 1970s had been unlawful on the ground that it was done on the basis of the authorities’ suspicion. Yet the coronavirus regulations, passed without parliamentary scrutiny, give the state the power to detain any person indefinitely on mere suspicion. This is precisely the sort of issue that parliament ought to be holding the government to account on. But it isn’t. Just when parliamentary accountability is required, it is completely absent.

100% agree. No quarter must be given. The UK must, as soon as possible, become absolutely independent from the EU which, more and more, looks precisely like China in its determination to ensure those who trade with it are, in fact, entirely controlled by it.

Brexit? It is very clear that the two things your party was elected on are being ignored or dragged out and out. 1st – Brexit – 4 years after the vote – £55m a day still going to them – and I have absolutely NO doubt whatsoever that something will be done to ensure we stay in, handing over an ever increasing amount, as the EU demands, against the voters wishes.

2nd – immigration control. Boats are turning up as and when they feel like it, knowing full well they will be ” intercepted “. What a stupid term – intercepted. Ferried in more like. a financial burden – on us – for the rest of their lives – and in the majority of cases due to their culture – a massive danger to young females – and the public in General. Crossing with ease what we have been repeatedly told is one of the most dangerous waterways on the planet. What a joke this country and its govt have become. Now clearly having NO respect for its people, it waves in thousands of foreign freeloaders yearly. The immigration minister is apparently getting paid for NOT doing her job. And she seems to be very successful at that.
Roll up ! Roll up ! Free lives, houses, cash, NHS, schooling etc etc. as punishment for committing crime. No limit – just keep coming!

Don’t forget that the Tory’s only got into power with a huge majority because they were borrowed our vote to get Brexit through, this also means no extension to keep us shackled to the corpse of the Eu past December 2020,

Remaining under EU control is not leaving. By definition. We were offered Leave or Cameron’s renegotiation, in 2015. We’re still waiting 4 years later.

If we had voted for the renegotiated terms, Remain would already have been implemented.

It is an outrage that we have not left yet. It could have taken only 12 months. It should have taken no more than 2 years as Art50 envisaged. Yet another extension is a fraud, and the destruction of our democracy.

Of course you are “failing” in the ballots JR, you are flogging the wrong message. Both your party and Whitehall have gone off the Brexit idea. The economy will not be able to withstand a Covid-19 recession, turbo-charged by a Brexit in any form.

A temporary transition extension membership fee will be circa £700 million a month. About 0.4% of UK GDP per month. Small change compared to the deficit spending our new MMT Chancellor is correctly doing to keep the economy alive.

A Chancellor who is likely to be our next Prime Minister by Christmas. Alas, as yet he is not fully cured of the pandemic virus that is Conservative Neoliberal Osborneus Austerititus. He is allowing far too much of his fiscal injection to the little people, to be skimmed off by the Casino Banksters.

We must turn our attention to Brexit and the future economy. The Immigration Bill was passed yesterday and there has been an announcement about tariffs, and although I don’t yet understand the detail of either it shows the government has been dealing with normal matters thank Goodness. I hope each is truly taking back control of our borders, and putting domestic economic interests first.We must of course get out of the EU and there must be no appeasement.

Let’s now concentrate on rebuilding the economy. Now is an excellent opportunity to question the past and change views. We must abandon the idea that the world is out there to supply us with goods – it is an outdated view hanging over from Empire, but I must remind people we don’t have one any more and the world is not looking to us for guidance and leadership.

We must stop the activities of the City who wish to sell everything we have, and the government should stop prostituting the nation by encouraging foreign investment in direct competition with existing home business, nor where a large shed is rented as a distribution centre for goods made in their country.

We must adopt, from the highest level to the lowest, the philosophy and practice of self reliance and self sufficiency, and have the courage to take a long view on investment. We must rebuild our capacity to make things which we abandoned, and new things, they are many and varied. If we made more we would not need to sell so much of ourselves to pay for what we buy in.

We must also protect and defend our fishing waters from rivals, and prove the will and means to do it. If we provide enough fish for our home market from our waters we don’t have to catch more simply because they are there, to sell them – leave them alone to prosper and resist demands from others that they must have access to the surplus.

We must protect our land and livestock so we can grow and cultivate more food, both for home consumption but also for export – our food is good and we must make it known to more people. We must stop promoting foreign products as if they always exceed ours which they in most cases don’t, they are mostly merely fashionable.

May I add it would be worth mentioning that, if the EU wish for an extension, they themselves can ask for one. The reason I believe that they do not wish to and want the UK to request one instead, is so that they, the EU, can make demands like they did before. This needs to be made clear not just to Ministers but, to the MSM and to the general public.

It is the EU that needs an extension, not the UK. Not just for the extra monies they would extort from us but, to delay BREXIT and allow them time to deal with other matters. There has never been a better time to Leave the EU. And LEAVE we must !!!

This could well define the Premiership of this PM. Will Johnson ‘bottle it’ and capitulate to Merkel’s demands or will he pivot finally towards the US?

I no longer vote for a party led by this PM that has systematically and perniciously embraced the progressive’s left agenda. I suspect most Tory MPs feel a deep sense of shame at the utter betrayal of many Tory leaders to both the EU and social engineering extremists on the left.

Johnson’s embrace of large state socialism and the acceptance of Marxist-trades union domination over the elected government does not bode well as this does indicate a man without principle or conviction

He’s already caved in when Macron threaten to close the border if he didn’t declare a lock down.
He’s toast like May if he extends and allowing Chinese involvement in 5G, HS2 & fishing he’s treading into a quagmire which will consume him & his party

Yep – showing resolve is the way to do it. I have confidence in Mr Frost and hope that Boris won’t let the side down. And I hope Boris has the good sense to seek advice from President Trump every now and again. Stroking Trump’s ego is the smart thing to do.

Only one question is required to arrive at a correct decision: Will a delay of six months, a year, two years or even ten years change the EU’s view about key issues such as Common Standards, fishing and other strings attached to the proposed FTA? The evidence is actually the opposite, that the EU will only give ground in the last week of the negotiation period, whether that be December 2020 or December 2030. And this will be particularly so if there is a huge financial incentive for the EU to delay as long as possible. We absolutely MUST bite the bullet now, if we are to avoid paying for the inevitable collapse of the Euro.

Dear Sir John–Is it or is it not true that all we asking for is what is normal in a bog standard FTA? If it is true or mostly true who do these people in Brussels think they are? Not hard to see how wars start. Still reckon is obvious that Germany should quit EU and join up with us–Let’s hear it for the Anglo-Saxons. This would have happened by now but for that Hitler maniac.

Germany should leave the EU together with the Netherlands and leave the rest with the Euro.
The problem, as German politicians know only too well, is that the Neu Deutsche Mark would appreciate by at least 40% against the Euro and the pound, rendering German manufactured goods totally uncompetitive.

The UK is asking for British companies to be able to compete against German companies in Germany under their own special set of rules that may differ from those under which the Germans operate in their own country.

It wants UK labs to be able to certify British products exported to the EU without any involvement from the EU’s part.

I think you can guess what will be the German’s answer to this “generous” offer.

Tabulazero, Offsetting this the Germans will have to pay us 10% for the privilege of them selling us their cars. I think you can guess what will be the German’s answer to this “generous” offer – “help”!

Dear Jacey–Agree entirely–The wretched remaining EU don’t appear to believe that Brexit, in every sense, is actually going to happen and the only way to get the truth in to their heads is to leave completely on the dot at year end. If there is no FTA, it beggars belief that Continental Europe will not. and soon, decide that crazy not to have an FTA with their closest neighbour and biggest customer. We have freedom to play our hand as we wish and should not give an inch at any stage. Grasp the nettle with both hands. Compromise would be terrible especially for the FTA’s we are planning on with the rest of the World who will not allow themselves to be jocked around. Find a way to persuade Germany to leave and join up with us and Scandinavia. Brussels is totally unrespected so my German friends tell me.

We are watching the cracks in the EU edifice as Brussels struggles to stem the debt mountains of the majority of EU states whilst Germany’s High Court backs Germans not wishing to fund it anymore esp when Britain’s contributions end soon.

15% of Scots are net taxpayers! You think the EU needs another lead weight? Germany had East Germany to fund as we have Scotland. We stand as much chance of dumping Scotland on them as we do selling the NHS (which costs £170,000,000,000 pa – no profit!)
The DUP saved the U.K. from Mays surrender deal.
Why are you so afraid? You think England depends on the fringe? Without the Celtic nations we would NEVER have had a Labour Government! So the Tories would be the English left wing party and we would have a proper Conservative Party too.
Margaret, you need to read a lot more and write a lot less.

Margaret H, You may have missed the Scottish independence referendum a few years back – whilst the UK was in the EU. You see the Scots Nats want independence in, or out, of the EU. Our being out makes no difference to them. And England is no rump, consisting of about 80% of the population of the UK.

That Scottish independence referendum was BEFORE the Brexit referendum which changed everything.
Few north of the border could have foreseen that 17m voters would have the power to decide the future of 70m citizens.

It won’t happen. Scotland will leave spelling the end of the union which was forced on them in the first place at the point of a gun.

“The UK has rightly offered a Free Trade based Agreement and should stick with that offer.”

This so-called Free Trade Agreement calls for the EU’s member states to accept that British companies trade freely and compete inside their respective economies under a different set of rules than their European counterparts.

It is pretty obvious that member states will not accept that and are not beholden to the promises made to leave voters by the Brexiters.

No-deal is therefore the most likely outcome and both sides should prepare accordingly.

Sovereign nations all trade under different laws, regulation regimes, and rules.
That is why every FTA creates a basis of mutual recognition and has a Joint Committee to adjudicate on disagreements.
No sane sovereign nation demands – as does the EU – that its trading partner accept its laws or its own constantly changing definitions of treaties. Only a rogue nation insists that its own courts have primacy to adjudge international trade disputes.

It is pretty obvious that the UK will not accept that and are not beholden to the promises made to EU members by the European Commission.

Tabulazero, Rubbish. Goods into the EU market must meet EU standards. So UK goods, sold into the EU, must conform to exactly the same rules as goods from any EU sub-state. Just as EU goods must in future meet UK standards, not EU standards, if on sale here.

I hope that young people ensure a future government takes us into a Customs Agreement with the EU. I question just how many years Britain remains independent of the EU.
I have total faith in the EU flag and Euro.

Yes, indeed, and next time that you see the PM, please tell him that the Conservative Party will not get my vote if the transition period is extended. No more excuses or forgiveness; the Government must deliver.

These talks,
What thehell do they talk about, come on They instantly , at the first meeting reached what a each side wanted .
I a sorry I just do not buy this tripe.
If we were serious we would not be talking anymore, we would have gone WTO.

No business would behave in this manner.
What is going on is a total con, so we are to believe that they will talk untill New Years Eve !

A Good Brexit result, with us free of the EU, will allow Boris to get away with some things – Otherwise he will be attacked from all sides for the slightest misjudgement.

At this time, in the history of the world, we need a strong intelligent leader…. There are just too many issues out there for the UK to be seen as weak and permissive – We are tired of lemming like leaders… Boris has made a fairly good start, and for all of our sakes he must become the leader we need.

The left must really panic about Dominic Cummings and his ability to get Brexit done – it’s almost as though they think if they take his scalp Brexit will be over. They asked the Scottish Health spokesperson to resign she left that post but didn’t resign her job? So he resigns from position Spad 1 and takes up position Spad 2.

They are clinging on to this outrage of him going to Durham when parliamentary closure began. The Guardian timeline seems to miss an important date – parliament closed on 25th-26th March in recess so if he travelled back after closing his London office what’s the problem – + essential employees and key workers have always been allowed to travel, there is a photo on the BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52032188 of the Scottish leader in London, did he remain in London or did he travel back to family in Scotland? What about other MPs that had been in London did they all stay in their London addresses or did they go to family homes?

I see the Scottish leader calling for Cummings to be sacked actually ‘travelled’ back to Skye on 26th March, it doesn’t say how, aeroplane with others, car alone, train with others? Why didn’t he stay in his London home for the fortnights isolation before travelling when lots of his work colleagues were catching the virus? Did he think twice about potentially taking this back to Skye and needing a hospital up there?

What is the punishment for this for anyone else in society? Do they get their job taken off them or do they get a reprimand for first offence or a fine immediately? Boris travelled to chequers with Carrie will they be after his scalp next. Did they make a Stephen Kinnock resign as an MP? Did the Scottish Health minister end up unemployed? Actually let the media concentrate on this for a week.

Wow, just wow. Am I the only person in the U.K. who knows people that have carried on being carer for their elderly parent in another home rather than have social services carers appointed? Am I the only person who knows people that when their work or studies ended they left their flats and houses in London and cleared off to the family and friends homes elsewhere in the Country? His work didn’t end like most people on 23 March he was still at work on 26th March so he couldn’t clear off with the mass London exodus the Thursday or Friday the week before and no one seemed bothered about that, be careful hypocrites. As for I couldn’t see my parents a mile away I know lots of people who have taken supermarket deliveries and medical deliveries to their parents homes on the way back from their own supermarket shop weekly, they respect their parents and chat to them through glass or as many do where I live they stand on the payment yelling to their parent on the doorstep. On sunny days they’re sat in front gardens on deck chairs all day long with their children playing together!

I’ve found the punishment for breaching lockdown
Punishment
If you breach these regulations, the police may:
● instructyoutogohome,leaveanareaordisperse
● instructyoutotakestepstostopyourchildrenbreakingtheserulesifthey have already done so
● takeyouhome,orarrestyou,wheretheybelieveitnecessary
The police will act with discretion and common sense in applying these measures and we expect the public to act responsibly, staying at home in order to save lives.
However, if the police believe that you have broken the law – or if you refuse to follow their instructions enforcing the law – a police officer may issue you with a fixed penalty notice for £60 (reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days). If you have already received a fixed penalty notice, the amount will increase to £120 and double on each further repeat offence, up to a maximum of £960.
The government will keep this under review and will increase the penalties if necessary to ensure compliance.

About John Redwood

John Redwood won a free place at Kent College, Canterbury, and graduated from Magdalen College Oxford. He is a Distinguished fellow of All Souls, Oxford. A businessman by background, he has set up an investment management business, was both executive and non executive chairman of a quoted industrial PLC, and chaired a manufacturing company with factories in Birmingham, Chicago, India and China. He is the MP for Wokingham, first elected in 1987.